Homecoming
by Gnesd1
Summary: Set after Ghost Stories. Lucien is found and now it's time to try to put the pieces back together. But will someone's revenge threaten their future?
1. Chapter 1

Homecoming

Matthew's words kept repeating in her head, _"The likelihood of him coming back is…"_ She knew. They all knew. But Jean, more than anyone, knew as the weeks turned into months, the likelihood of Lucien coming back to her lessened. However, Jean, more than anyone, also knew what a fighter Lucien was…is. She never faltered from the hope that he would make it back to her…somehow.

Detective Charlie Davis arrived in Sydney to question a possible witness to a murder that happened in Melbourne months earlier. Lucien Blake had been weighing heavy on his mind since he first heard he needed to go to Sydney. Nine months now since Lucien disappeared. The local police had checked hospitals and combed the river but Lucien had never been found. The suspect's body, however, had been recovered. Having worked very closely with Lucien, Charlie knew Blake and his risk-taking ways in order to get answers and secure a suspect. So, when the report came out that Lucien and the suspect had fallen from that bridge, he was not surprised. Deeply saddened, but not surprised in the least. He thought being married to Jean would have calmed him down some but it hadn't. If anything, he took more risks. The sadness was definite but so was the anger. Something Matthew Lawson and he had in common. One of the last conversations Charlie had with the Chief Superintendent, Matthew had stated how he couldn't "wait to have Lucien walk through that door so I can wring his bloody neck!"

The local Sydney police escorted Charlie and his partner to the hospital where the witness was recovering from an altercation at a pub that had left him gravely hurt. When they entered the dual patient room, Charlie stopped dead in his tracks. He couldn't speak. He couldn't move. He was pretty sure he had stopped breathing. There lay Lucien Blake. His beard had been shaved. His hair was a curly mess. He had lost a bit of weight. But Charlie knew as soon as he had seen him, that was Blake. Once he regained his senses, he apologized to his partner, who was perplexed at the tears that had formed in Charlie's eyes and his current behavior, and asked that he continue on without him. He had to phone Lawson immediately.

Once he got him on the phone, Matthew couldn't withhold his excitement from hearing from the young lad in months. "Charlie! Good to hear…"

Charlie interrupted him, "Boss! Matthew. Sorry, I need you to listen to me."

"Charlie, what's going on? Are you okay?"

He heard Charlie sob into the phone and fear gripped him. Charlie was able to get it out, "It's Lucien. I found him. He's alive."

Matthew dropped the phone. They had held out hope this day would come but they never really believed it would actually happen. Well, other than Jean. Jean. His thoughts went immediately to Jean. He had to get word to her right away but he had to be sure first. He had to know what had happened before he could talk to her. She was going to have a lot of questions and he knew better than to go tell her something like this without answers.

He picked the phone back up. "Charlie. I need you to be sure."

"It's him, Matthew. It is him. I don't know the details yet but it is definitely Lucien."

"Okay, I'll be in Melbourne in about…"

"Melbourne? No, no, I'm in Sydney on a case. He's in Sydney."

"Sydney? Why the hell didn't the police find him?!"

"I don't know but I'm going to find out what happened."

"Okay. Okay, I'm going to go pick up Jean and head straight there. Give me the address where you're at. And Charlie? Don't take your eyes off of him until we get there."

Jean was tending to some paperwork at the kitchen table when Matthew came in. She started asking him about his day when she looked up and noticed the tears in his eyes. The smile on her face immediately fell. Her heart stopped. She knew. She knew this day would come. Please…please just let him be alive.

Matthew managed to croak out, "Jean." He cleared his throat. "Jean, he's alive."

Her heart started to beat again. More ways than one. She began to sob. Matthew had his arms around her in an instant. They cried together until she was able to start thinking again. She asked him a barrage of questions that he didn't have the answers to.

Trying to calm her, Matthew interrupted, "Jean. Jean! He's alive. He's in Sydney and Charlie is with him. That is all I know right now. We need to get going."

With that, they were off. They had each thrown together a travel bag. Matthew kept looking at Jean throughout their trip. His head was spinning and he could imagine she was having great difficulty trying to contain her emotions and thoughts. She seemed to be keeping it together quite well. She wasn't happy with not having the answers, as he knew she wouldn't be, but she wanted to see him. Touch him. The answers could wait. She didn't speak at all. Not until they got to the hospital. As they were in the elevator to head to his floor, Matthew grabbed her hand. She was shaking like a leaf. She smiled at him and said thank you.

As they appeared at his room, Charlie was sitting in a chair talking to him. Jean and Lucien made eye contact. She almost fainted. If it weren't for Matthew, she probably would have. He kept hold of her and ushered her to Lucien's bed. She began to sob and reached her arms out for her beloved and he reciprocated. Matthew and Charlie looked at each other and Matthew sensed something was off. It was Lucien but something was wrong.

Charlie had to interrupt the reunion. "Jean? Jean, I need to tell you what's going on." She lifted herself from Lucien's embrace and turned to Charlie as she wiped her eyes. She turned her attention back to Lucien as Charlie continued. She had never seen Lucien without facial hair before, other than his childhood pictures of course. She didn't quite know how she felt about it. Beard or not, she was happy to just be touching him again. Lucien couldn't take his eyes off her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He had an instant connection to her and he couldn't understand why. She touched his cheek and kept her hand there. "…amnesia."

Jean had missed everything Charlie had said up until that point. She looked sharply at Charlie. Lucien has amnesia? She looked toward Matthew. He was slack jawed, clearly his mind was on overload. She looked back at Lucien and she saw a range of emotions, compassion, excitement, and confusion. He didn't remember her but he couldn't let go of her hand. Even though he didn't understand it, the electricity in their touch was intense. It was home. He finally felt safe, which was very odd to him. How could he feel safe in the arms of a stranger? Charlie had explained to him what had happened and the gist of his life events, preparing him for the moment Jean entered. She rubbed his cheek with her hand. Her Lucien was in there. "We will get through this." He didn't believe her but he nodded nonetheless.

The excitement was a bit much for him and his eyes became very heavy. She told him to sleep and she would be right there when he woke up. Once he drifted off, Charlie left to meet up with his partner and explain what was happening. Matthew and Jean stood and he put his arm around her as they watched Lucien sleep. He filled her in on what she had missed in her excitement reuniting with Lucien.

He was found wandering the streets of Sydney a few months ago. They don't know what happened between the time he fell off the bridge to the time he was found. He was pretty badly hurt though. Aside from the amnesia, he had numerous cuts and abrasions, a broken arm, and a stab wound (not too far from his previous stab injury). He had battled an infection for the last month and a half and was due to be discharged soon. Jean took a deep breath, "But he's okay now? Apart from the amnesia, of course."

He smiled with tears in his eyes again. "Yes, they are going to work on his discharge papers and we can take him home as soon as he is ready."

She smiled with tears giving way again and looked down at Lucien. She bent down and kissed his forehead, keeping her hand on his head, gently stroking his hair. Home.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The doctors wanted to keep Lucien for one more night. Matthew left Jean at the hospital and went to a nearby hotel to get checked in and make some calls. Jean refused to leave Lucien's room until he himself was ready to leave. She sat by his side, holding his hand, and watched him sleep. He was looking rather thin. This made her cringe, wondering what he had been through the last nine months. His brow furrowed, and she couldn't help but wonder what he was dreaming about. She shook the fear from her and kissed his hand, letting her lips linger there.

"Jean." She closed her eyes. It was indescribable how good it felt to hear his voice again. He squeezed her hand and she met his eyes. "I can't tell you how confusing this is. It's awkward…because I…" He took a deep breath and his eyes started to water. "Well, I don't remember you. You're virtually a stranger to me. But…there is this heavy connection between us. When you first walked into this room, I lost my breath. I thought it was just the anticipation and fear, but…" She silently urged him on. "Just now when I awoke and saw you, I lost my breath again. I can't remember us, but we must have been something special." His voice trailed off and a tear escaped his eye falling onto the pillow.

She gave him a watery smile and reached for his cheek. He leaned into her hand and closed his eyes a moment until she spoke. "We _are_ special. You'll get your memories back, Lucien." Although neither one of them were totally convinced. "And if you don't, I'm here to tell you all about our past. But...either way, we will get through this. We've had obstacles to get over in the past and this…this is just another hurdle. The important thing is that you are alive and with us again."

Lucien sat up and moved over on the bed. "Jean, may I hold you?" He asked her so softly, she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. His vulnerability crushed her, and she couldn't help the tears as she nodded and moved to sit on the bed next to him. He put his arms around her and leaned his head against hers lifting his lips to her hairline. It seemed so natural to him like he should remember doing so before. She knew exactly what it reminded her of. That pivotal day when Lucien appeared on the bus as she was leaving for Adelaide.

Matthew phoned Alice first, thinking she must be worried sick by now. He was right. She answered on the first ring, sounding rather irate. "Matthew Lawson, do they not have phones in Sydney?!"

"That's actually where I'm calling you from, so…" He stopped himself a moment too late. Being a smart arse was not the best idea right now. He heard Alice sniffle on the other end of the phone and immediately felt a twinge. He spoke softly, "He's okay, Alice. We're bringing him home tomorrow." He filled her in on the particulars and they both felt better after.

"I have a colleague in Melbourne that specializes in amnesiacs. I'll give him a call and see when he might be able to meet with Lucien."

"That would be great, Alice. I'll let Jean know." After a silent pause, he asked, "Alice? You okay?"

Even though he couldn't see her he knew she was smiling. "I am now. Thank you, Matthew. I'll see you when you get home. Safe travels."

His next call was to Amy Parks. He needed her to get the house ready for when they got back to town. She was rather receptive and compassionate and asked to give Jean her best. Maybe there was hope for her yet.

Charlie stopped by to check on them before he had to head back to Melbourne. A warm smile appeared on his face as he took in the sight before him. Lucien and Jean were cuddled in a half sitting position and both were fast asleep. He felt like he was intruding but he couldn't look away. These two people meant the world to him, like another set of parents to him. They both taught him so much. He was grateful to have spent those years as their boarder. He gave them one last look and left the room. Lost in his thoughts as he walked down the hallway, he wasn't sure how long Matthew was trying to get his attention.

"Matthew." They shook hands and smiled.

"Charlie, I can't thank you enough."

"No, Matthew. No thanks are needed. I'm just glad I was here, and Jean and the doc are back together. Oh, by the way, if you're heading that way, you might want to come back later." He smiled and patted Matthew on the back. "I'll be in touch."

Matthew gave a curious look toward Lucien's room and bid Charlie farewell with a smile. He gave it some thought and decided to see what Charlie was talking about. When he stepped into the room, it was as if all was right with the world. His eyes started to water again, which was really beginning to irritate him. He honestly didn't think he would ever see the two of them together again. And here they were. He heard his name when he turned to step out. He looked back and Jean was untangling herself from the still sleeping Lucien, putting her finger to her lips to convey to Matthew to be quiet, and walking out with him.

"I think we are really going to be alright, Matthew."

"Of course, you are, Jean. He needs to hurry up and get his memory back so I can kick him in the tail for being so stupid."

Jean gave him a warning, "Matthew, you'll do no such thing!"

"Anyway, I spoke with Alice and she has a colleague in Melbourne that specializes in amnesia cases. She'll set up an appointment if you'd like."

"Yes, please do! That's great news."

"Also, I asked Amy to get the studio and Lucien's surgery back in order. She sends her best, by the way."

Jean smiled, "Thank you so much, Matthew."

"You sure you don't want me to get you a room for tonight?"

Jean shook her head, "Thank you, Matthew, but no. I'm never spending another night away from him, if I can help it." She gave him a hug and a smile and told him she would see him tomorrow morning.

"Goodnight, Jean."

When she went back into Lucien's room, he was trying to get out of bed. "Lucien, what on earth are you doing?!"

He immediately paused and smiled at her, "That seems very familiar. Have you said that to me before?"

"Oh, once or twice, maybe." That must be a good sign, she thought. She walked over to where he was standing now. He was still a little shaky on his feet.

"Jean, would you mind terribly if we went for a short walk? I know we are leaving tomorrow but I feel I need to stretch my legs."

"Not at all." She gave him a Cheshire grin.

He gave her a double-take and waved a finger toward her face with an amused grin of his own. "What's this all about?"

"You said "we". You want to go take a walk with me."

"Darling, I don't think I will ever _not_ want to take a walk with you." His smile faded as desire filled his eyes. He leaned in to her, so their foreheads were touching.

"Dr. Blake! We have you for one more night, so you get back in bed right now." Lucien knew from his experience with Nurse McKay that he would not be winning this argument. She turned to Jean and spoke with a lighter tone, "Mrs. Blake, since the bed next to your husband is now vacant, we will be expecting you to use it tonight." She finished with a wink and left the room. Jean and Lucien shared amused looks. Jean pushed the bed closer to Lucien's so that they would be able to still hold hands.

Jean looked over at Lucien, "Okay?"

He answered rather contentedly, "Okay." Jean began telling him about his parents and his childhood. He finished a couple of her sentences with facts relating to such. He shocked himself, not knowing where they came from. Jean smiled and was even more convinced all his memories would be back.

Matthew picked them up at the hospital the next morning. It brought a smile to his face when he noticed Lucien had ahold of Jean's hand and wouldn't let go for anything. At one point, he had to sign some papers. He was holding Jean's hand with his right hand. He alternated hands so that he was holding her with his left hand and signed the papers. They all walked out of the hospital, more than ready to be home.

None of them noticed the man watching them. He phoned his boss, "His name is Lucien Blake. He's a doctor from Ballarat."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The taxi pulled up to the Blake residence. Matthew got out of the front seat and went to retrieve their bags from the trunk. Lucien was holding on to Jean's hand staring at the house. Jean was watching him, looking for some sort of recognition. She knew there was something, but she could tell his confusion and frustration were overpowering it. She gave him a moment and squeezed his hand, nodding to the house. He met her eyes and gave her a half smile.

He got out of the car and took a deep breath. He reached his hand out to Jean as she came around the car. Before they reached each other though Alice came running out of the house and threw her arms around Lucien's neck. His eyes went wide and looked to Jean for help, who just gave him a watery smile. Matthew was quite amused. "Lucien! I can't believe it's truly you." She hugged him tight. "We have missed you so much!" His stiff body reminded her that he had no idea who she was. She gave him one last hug and took a step back. She wiped at her tears and began to apologize.

He stopped her, smiled, put a hand on her shoulder and said, "You must be Alice. It's nice to see you too." He took Jean's hand. "Shall we?"

Amy was on the porch. Lucien was preparing himself for another assault, but fortunately she just stuck out her hand to shake his. "Hi, Lucien. I'm Amy. Glad you're okay."

"Thank you, Amy. Me too."

They went into the house and Jean walked him throughout, familiarizing him with the floorplan. He paused at each area where there were pictures. He shook his head, frustrated with his memory. Jean squeezed his hand. "Give it time. Come on, let me show you my favorite area of the house." She led him out to the garden and they sat on the bench.

"It's beautiful out here. Did you do all of this?" He put his arm around her.

"Over the years, yes. It's my sanctuary." She beamed proudly.

"I can understand why."

They sat there for a while. She looked up at him, he seemed to be a million miles away. "You okay?"

He gave her a squeeze and a sad smile. "Just processing."

She could understand that. She patted his knee. "I should go get dinner started."

Not wanting to be away from her he asked, "Mind if I help?"

They walked into the kitchen hand in hand. Alice and Matthew were sitting next to each other at the table, both smiling at the couple. Their other boarder, Constable Peter Crowe, arrived home and was introduced to Lucien. Jean and Amy got to work preparing dinner while the rest of them sat at the table making small talk. Lucien got up and asked Jean if he could set the table for her. She smiled and showed him where everything was.

Dinner was relatively comfortable, Peter and Amy on one side of the table, Matthew and Alice on the other side, and Lucien and Jean at each end. Throughout dinner they kept catching each other's eyes. He knew she was worried about him and, frankly, so was he. It was all so damned overwhelming. He couldn't understand what would make him want to leave this life. He didn't remember the house or the people, but as it was, he knew he would be okay if he never left this house again. Although, he knew that wasn't very realistic.

Jean noticed he was looking tired and excused them to the studio. Everyone went their separate ways, Alice giving Lucien another hug and Matthew patting his back, "Good to have you home." He smiled at them as they walked away. He looked at Jean who took his hand and closed the door to the studio.

She started the fireplace and he sat on the couch. As she came to join him, she said, "You know…I haven't spent a night in here since shortly after you went missing."

Stunned, he met her eyes. Angry at himself. The heartache he must have caused her. "Why the hell would I be so stupid? How could I ever leave you, Jean?"

"Oh Lucien. You weren't being stupid. You help people find answers and closure."

"At what cost?! You deserve better than that."

She put her hand on his cheek. "You'll understand it eventually."

"No, Jean. I hope I never will. I don't want to go back to being the man who would recklessly throw himself off a bridge."

"I doubt it was like that, but I can appreciate you feeling that way." She leaned in and kissed him, making more out of it than she intended.

He broke the kiss, breathing heavily and closed his eyes, keeping their foreheads together. "I can't yet. I'm sorry, Jean."

She lifted his chin so she could look in his eyes and smiled at him. "You have nothing to be sorry for. No pressure. I love you and I'm not going anywhere. Just hold onto that." She rubbed his cheek. "Come on, let me show you where your things are so you can get changed."

After a nice long shower, Lucien joined Jean in bed. She could tell he was on edge and nervous. She reached for his hand. "Relax. It will all be okay. You just have to let it happen." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "Alice has a friend who specializes in amnesiacs. He's offered to meet with you the day after tomorrow. Would that be alright?"

"Goodness, yes. Anything to try to help me work out this mess in my head." He ran his hand through his wet curls. "You think maybe you can take me to get a haircut tomorrow? I don't look anything like in those pictures."

She ran her hand through his hair, messing it up. "I don't know, I quite like this." Her smile meeting her eyes. "But if you'd like, yes, I will take you." He blushed and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her shoulder. It was good to be home, even though he didn't know home. He was getting to know Jean and it was good to be here, in her arms.

With a fresh haircut and his beard growing back in, he was beginning to look himself. Matthew and Alice insisted on coming with them to Melbourne. Jean was thankful to have the support. In the backseat, she and Lucien were discussing his practice and patients. Every so often he would think of someone's name and ask her who that was. He kept getting frustrated that he only knew glimpses. She squeezed his hand. "Hey, you know more than you did yesterday. Give yourself a break." He smiled and kissed her hand.

He looked at Matthew who was intently checking his mirrors. He felt the car going faster. He looked out the back window and noticed a car keeping a close distance. "Everything alright, Matthew?"

"I think we're being followed. Everyone, hang on."

Matthew sped up as did the car behind them. Jean squeezed Lucien's hand and looked back at the car. Matthew swerved in and out of the lanes. They were just about 10 miles out of Melbourne and he was heading straight for the police station. Alice was frightened but she trusted Matthew implicitly. Just before they reached the road for the police station, the car following them backed off. Matthew parked the car and ushered all of them inside. They met up with Charlie, who was elated to see the good Doc up and walking around. Matthew filled him in on their adventure and gave him the description of the car. He gave it to a Constable and had him investigate. Charlie was just off duty and asked if they would mind if he followed them, just to be sure they were okay. Jean was relieved. She looked at Lucien, who was looking all around. He had been terribly quiet. He had a tight hold of her, protectively, looking for possible threats. Matthew and Jean made eye contact, each mirroring the worry that someone might be after Lucien and wondering what trouble he had gotten himself into all those months away.

They had a productive visit with the specialist. They were doing all the right things and he was confident that Lucien would fully regain his memory in due time. They were all still on edge when they had left the doctor's office. Charlie had gone home to pack a bag and got back just as they were walking out. He followed them home in his car, leaving plenty of space to try to draw out whoever it was that was following them before. The ride home was uneventful, fortunately. They were all exhausted from the excitement. Matthew left to take Alice home while Jean made dinner. Charlie got situated in one of the spare rooms.

Jean looked at Lucien, who was stewing. "Lucien. Don't."

He stared hard at her. "We know that was because of me. What the bloody hell did I get in to? None of you are safe around me. I could have gotten us all killed!" He was up and pacing now.

Jean was about to say something when Charlie came back down. He had overheard. "Doc, _we_ will figure this out. Strength in numbers. We have your back."

"What if it gets you hurt, Charlie? We don't know who we're dealing with here."

"Neither do they." Effectively ending the conversation, he began setting the table for Jean.

Lucien took a deep breath and Jean hugged him from behind, instantly calming him, whispering in his ear before giving him a kiss. "Everything will be okay." He wished he could believe her. He loved this family he was getting to know, more than anything.


	4. Chapter 4

_Thank you for the reviews. This is my first fanfic and it's quite liberating. Hope you continue to enjoy._

Chapter 4

She wasn't sure at first what had woken her. Then she could hear his heavy breathing and his palm was sweaty. She released his hand and looked over at him. She began stroking his head. "Lucien. Shh, it's okay. You're okay. Lucien?" He startled awake, staring at the ceiling, trying to get his breathing under control. He closed his eyes and ran his hands over his face and through his hair, catching Jean's hand and giving it a squeeze. He looked at her and gave her an apologetic smile.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Her concern for him was apparent.

He got out of bed and began to pace, sighing in frustration. "I'm not really sure what any of it means. You were there. We were getting out of a taxi. I held out my hand to you. I think we had come back from a trip or something because we had luggage."

She gasped. "Lucien! That sounds like that was when we got back from our honeymoon." She was elated his memories were coming back.

"Then I was with a bunch of Japanese soldiers. They were taking turns kicking me. They tossed me in this hole in the ground. It was so dark and small." He closed his eyes, shaking his head.

Jean's heart broke. She wished she could select what memories to bring back for him. She got out of bed and came around to where he was, wrapping her arms around him. "Lucien, you were a POW in the war. I think that's a memory from that time."

He pulled back from her so he could look into her eyes, finally realizing these were his memories. He released her and began pacing again. "Wait a minute. Okay, if these are my memories…I think I also remembered what happened on the bridge. Or at least some of it." Jean stood there agape, waiting for him to continue. "I was fighting with this man on a bridge. It had to be that suspect I was chasing. One of my punches sent him over the side of the bridge. I…I went to look down and he was holding on to the rail with one arm. I tried to help him back up." He paused, breathing heavy again. Jean's tears were flowing and she put her hand on his shoulder to encourage him. He looked at her with his own watery eyes. "He…he reached up with his other hand and pulled me down with him. We both fell from that bridge. Why would he do that?! I could have gotten him back up onto the bridge and we both would have been fine. Now he's dead and I'm…"

"Not. I'm okay with that outcome." She held him tight. "Come on. Let's go back to bed." She got back on her side and waited for him to join her. He sat on the edge of the bed and laid back so his head was in her lap. One of her hands went to his head and the other to his chest as she sat up. "Lucien?"

"I love you, Jean. I don't know how I would get through this without you. I know I don't deserve you but I'm so thankful for you." She smiled and put her hand over his heart. "I'm never going to leave you again." She sighed. As much as she would like to believe him, if the real Lucien comes back, there's nothing, not even her, that could stop his curiosity and need to help people. It was one of his endearing qualities. It was also one of his most infuriating qualities, but endearing nonetheless. He just wanted to help people. He tries to find them answers. They need him. I need him.

As if he read her mind, he turned and hugged her middle. They held each other for a while. Lucien gave her one last squeeze, kissing her stomach, and moved to lay down beside her. Putting his hand on her cheek, he looked her in the eyes. She recognized that look all too well and tried not to get her hopes up. She wanted him to be comfortable and she didn't want to push. Softly, he spoke. "Jean?" Seeing her acceptance, he kissed her hard. Their clothing quickly discarded. "You are so beautiful."

"So are you." She said as she devoured his neck. He smiled, joining them at last. Their rhythm was so perfect, it was as if they had never been apart. He fell beside her when they were both satiated. She curled up next to him, rubbing his chest while he was stroking her back.

"That was incredible." He said as he kissed her hair.

She lifted her head to look at him, resting her chin on his chest. "If you think that was incredible, just wait until all your memories come back." Her wink just about undid him.

The next morning at breakfast, Matthew noticed a change in them. He smirked as he realized they were behaving like newlyweds again. Lucien could not take his eyes off Jean and apparently he was having difficulty containing that ridiculous smug look on his face. The only thing that made the scene bearable for Matthew, was the way Jean was floating around the kitchen, perfectly content. The phone rang just then and Jean went to answer it.

Matthew looked at Lucien, who gave him a double-take. "Have a good night, did ya?"

He thought to deny it, then smiled and said, "Perfect. You?"

Matthew shook his head and smiled. "Good to have you home, Lucien. Good to have you home."

Lucien's smiled dropped as he looked to Jean. She said into the phone, "Who is this?!"

He stood and took the phone from her, "Who is this?"

The voice on the other end was oddly familiar but he couldn't place it. "Ah, there he is. So, you're a doctor, eh? Well, did you miss me doc? You know I wasn't finished with you when you ran off. That's okay though because we will soon be reunited and I will make you pay for what you did to my brother. You should have left well alone. Until then, good doctor." The phone went dead and Lucien turned white.

Matthew looked at Jean. "What did they say to you?"

Fear-stricken, she kept her eyes on Lucien as she replied to Matthew. "He said he was going to make me a widow."

Anger rose inside him. He stood and went to Lucien. "That's it. You will be under police protection until we get this dickhead. I don't suppose you know who this is?" He waited for a reply. "Lucien?!"

He snapped out of it just then. "What?" Frustrated, Matthew repeated himself and Lucien replied. "No, it's more of a feeling. Something about him seemed familiar. He said he wasn't done with me and that I had gotten away. I can't place him but I know it was not pleasant. He said I did something to his brother. We need to look into that, Matthew. What were my last few cases?"

" _We_ are not doing anything. _You_ are staying right here. Under police protection! I'll go investigate and get back to you. Take care of your wife." He looked to Jean, who was still disturbed by what the man had said to her. "Jean, you will not be a widow again. Get that out of your head, you hear me?" She nodded as a tear escaped. With that, Matthew went to the study to make a call.

Lucien went to Jean and held her in a tight embrace. "I'm so sorry, love. It'll be alright. I will fix this."

She tore away from him. "No, you don't! You will not do anything, Lucien. You will let Matthew figure this out. Promise me, Lucien! Promise me you will not endanger yourself again. Please!" She was sobbing at this point.

He held onto her and whispered in her ear. "Okay, Jean. Shh. Okay. I promise. I'm sorry." She held on tight. It was nice to hear but she knew better. He just couldn't help himself.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucien wasn't awake yet and Jean had decided to let him sleep in as she went to get breakfast started. It had been a week since that disturbing phone call. More of his memories had come back to him. She knew he hadn't gotten much sleep as he would try to piece everything together. This didn't help his restlessness. It was getting more difficult to keep him at home, as Matthew had instructed.

His eyes snapped open. He quickly looked around and sat up in bed. He just saw him. The man who's after him. They called him Cooper Lewis. Brother of Stewart Lewis, the man on the bridge. He was there in their bedroom. It was so real. Lucien got out of bed quickly to find Jean, until he heard her. She must have been making breakfast. She was singing and it brought his heartrate down immediately. He took a deep breath and shook it off. Just a dream. He turned back to get ready for the day.

Matthew had already left by the time Lucien had gotten dressed and made it to the kitchen. Jean was sitting at the table, reading and sipping on her tea. She looked up just as he had bent down to give her a kiss. One that was a lot more sensual and longer than their typical 'good morning' kiss. It left her flush. "Not that I'm complaining, but where did that come from?"

He gave her a side smile and sat down. "I missed you." He continued and braced for an argument. "I was thinking of going to the lake today."

"Lucian, you need to stay put and you know it."

"It's just the lake. I'll be quick. I just need some fresh air and different scenery."

"Fine. Then I'm going with you." She gave him a challenging look.

This was not going to be easy to try to draw this man out without Jean around. He'd have to figure something else out. He couldn't risk her getting hurt. He put his hands up. "Never mind."

Much to his chagrin, his Jean knew him better than anyone, even himself. She could see right through him and he could feel her eyes on him right now. "Need I remind you that you promised you would not go after this man." She reached for his hand and continued. "I know you're restless and you want to find this man but…I need you to let Matthew handle this."

He gave her a sheepish grin. "You're right."

Proud of herself, she continued and gave him a wink. "Now, I do need to get some things from the market. You can come with me and Peter if you promise to behave."

He didn't like the idea of her going out without him. "Yes, I'd like that. Thank you, Jean."

Walking through the market, an eerie feeling came over Lucien. He looked around and made eye contact with the man that had appeared in his dream just that morning, Cooper Lewis. He stopped in his tracks causing Jean to give him a questioning look. Following his line of sight, she saw a man walking towards them. With their concentration on him, they didn't notice the man behind him with the knife. He barely had time to cut Lucien in the back when Constable Peter tackled him. The man was able to land a punch on the young constable and get away. On the ground, Lucien gripped at his back. His main concern though was trying to find where Cooper had gone.

Jean helped him up and went to inspect his back. It was bleeding pretty good. She closed her eyes and thanked God it wasn't any deeper. Jean took off her scarf and used it to hold pressure to the wound. She was breathing heavily. "Are you hurt anywhere else?" He didn't respond and she called his name to get his attention. He looked at her, stunned. "Lucien, are you hurt anywhere else?"

"No, no, I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You'll need some stitches on this one here."

Scanning the crowd, he responded, "Jean, I…I know him. The man that was walking toward us. He was in my dream. He's the brother of the man on the bridge. His name is Cooper Lewis. I was sure I could draw him out but I didn't know he would have others helping him. I didn't think he would be so bold as to try anything in such a public place. Being in a car is one thing but now there are witnesses."

Matthew and Alice were close by and arrived shortly after the altercation, overhearing Lucien.

Matthew looked at Jean and said, "I expected better of you. Why would you let him he leave the house? You need anything, you ask me and I will bring it to you!" He was a bit rougher than he had intended. Jean was apologetic and regretful. She really thought they would be okay for this short trip.

Alice chimed in, "Matthew!"

Lucien gave Matthew a waring glare. His voice was low and even. "I get that you are upset, Matthew, but leave Jean alone. This is not her doing. You want to be angry at someone, be angry at me."

A familiar frustration overcame him as he raised his voice. "Lucien, you know what this bugger looks like and you didn't think to tell me? Hell, you even know his name?!" He turned away and then came back in Lucien's face. "You know, you are becoming more and more like your old self every day. I don't know whether to hug you or punch you." He took a deep breath. "How can I protect you if you leave me in the dark?" Matthew couldn't tell if he was more irritated at Lucien or the tears that filled his eyes.

Realizing the pain he caused, he pulled Matthew in for a hug. "I'm sorry, my friend."

The sign of affection between these two friends almost had Jean and Alice in tears as well.

Matthew held on to him for a few seconds and released him. "Enough of that. You need to get that tended to. Hang on a minute and I'll take you." He went to talk to Bill Hobart who was taking care of the investigation. He also checked in with Peter and thanked him for looking out. Peter told him he would take care of some witness statements then head home.

Matthew drove them to the hospital. It turned out Lucien did need stitches. Three, to be exact, on the lower right side of his back. On the way home, Lucien told them everything he knew about the brothers. "There might be more but that's all I can remember for now." Jean squeezed his hand. She had been very quiet and he couldn't wait to get home to talk to her. To make sure she's alright. For now, he leaned over and kissed her head. She gave him a tired smile. "Matthew, we weren't able to get anything at the market. I'm not sure we have anything for dinner."

"After Peter gets back home, I'll go get us some fish and chips. Jean, make me a list and I'll have someone get that as well." She nodded.

Once inside, Jean excused herself. Matthew and Alice went to the kitchen. Lucien stood in the entryway looking on as Jean headed to the studio. He followed and paused at the door. He closed his eyes as he heard the soft sobs. He went in and joined her on the couch, taking her in his arms. She held on tightly. "It was a stupid idea, Lucien. I'm so sorry."

"Jean, you have nothing to be sorry about. We can't just sit around waiting for him to strike. Matthew is just scared. He lashed out at you because of it. I mean it, you are not to blame." There was nothing he could say that would make her feel any less guilty.

She pulled herself together and took comfort being in his arms. Then she remembered his cut. "Come, we need to get you a new shirt." He followed her to their closet. She grabbed him a new vest and shirt. He unbuttoned his shirt and she helped him take his vest off. She leaned forward and kissed his chest, just over his heart. He lifted her chin and kissed her lips. As their kiss slowed, they rested their heads together. "How about we rest up a bit." Noticing the look in his eyes, she added, "Just rest." He nodded and gave her a smirk. She helped him put his vest on and got him into bed. She fell asleep immediately while Lucien laid there trying to devise a way to make things right.


	6. Chapter 6

_So, I think just one more chapter for this story. I have contracted the fanfiction bug though, so more stories to come for our dear Mr. and Mrs. Blake. Thank you so much for the reviews. I'm so glad you like it. Please enjoy!_

Everyone was on high alert following the altercation with Cooper Lewis and his lackey but it dissipated as the days went on. The leads Matthew had on Cooper kept running cold. His frustration was growing. Every plan Lucien had to try to get his hands on Cooper, Jean had thwarted. He was losing his touch. Rather, she was just better at knowing him and his devious ways.

Three weeks later, Charlie had a couple days off and decided to come stay at the Blake's. This gave Matthew some much needed time off to stay at Alice's. Jean and Lucien reopened the surgery since Lucien's memory was back, for the most part. Although, they had strict orders from Matthew not to accept any new patients until "this mess is ironed out." Life was moving on, but there was still that underlying fear.

Jean felt like she had been neglecting her spot on the Town Council. They had been very understanding and, fortunately, there had not been any pressing issues since Lucien's return. There had been two meetings which she needed to attend, which Lucien accompanied. One of which was this night. He was so proud of her. As he waited for her in her office, he reflected on their history and the Jean he knew and loved. The one who he had told at one time to find one thing and go after it. Of course, his Jean didn't stick to one thing. She went after several. And she conquered them. She was fierce. She was just. And she was perfect for the Town Council. Hell, he could see her as Mayor of Ballarat one day. He was excited to be here and be able to witness her accomplishments.

Jean went to her office to pick up Lucien. He was sitting in her desk chair with an adorable smile on his face. God, she loved this man. "Lucien." There was no response. She smiled to herself. He's lost in thought. Again. She took a few steps toward him. "Lucien!" He jumped and looked embarrassed. This only brightened her smile. "Where were you?"

Unable to contain his own smile, he told her. "I was thinking about you and all of your accomplishments." He rose and walked over to her putting his arms around her waist as she put hers around his shoulders. "How you've come a long way from farming, raising two boys alone, taking care of father, taking care of me…"

"Well, I'm still doing the latter. That's a full-time job!" She pecked him on the lips.

His demeanor turned serious. "I mean it, Jean. You have soared. I am ever so proud of you. I'm so excited to see what you have in store next. I love you." Tears came to her eyes as her jaw dropped a bit. He took the opportunity to kiss her deeper than the piddly peck. Effectively, showing her how proud he was of her.

When they came up for air, she told him, "I love you too." Giving him a sultry smile, she lowered her voice when she added, "Let's go home and I'll show you just how much." She walked away from him leaving a stunned Lucien. God, he loved this woman.

Lucien caught her hand as they headed to the elevator. He lifted his eyebrows at her, asking for a make out session in the elevator. She laughed and shook her head, bumping his chest with her shoulder. "Lucien! It's only one floor. You can wait until we get home." Disappointed, he agreed. They met up with Peter at the car and he drove them home.

They came home to find Charlie and Amy in the kitchen having tea. "Charlie! We didn't know you'd be here. What a lovely surprise!"

As Charlie rose, he gave them hugs and replied, "Yeah, Doc. Sorry I didn't let you know ahead of time, but I wanted to see how you were getting along."

"Nonsense, you are welcome to drop by anytime. Are you staying then?"

"For a couple days. If that's okay, Jean?"

"More than okay. You know where everything is. Help yourself. It's so good to see you, Charlie."

They spent the next hour getting caught up with Charlie. Peter and Amy went out. They had been doing that a lot lately, thinking no one was noticing. Jean was though. She was happy for Amy. She needed some positive people in her life. And Peter was nothing, if not positive.

"Well, I'm going to turn in. See you both in the morning."

"Goodnight, Charlie."

"Night, Charlie."

They both got up and walked to the studio hand in hand. Lucien went to start a fire and Jean went to change into her sleeping attire. Lucien stared at the fire and unbuttoned his shirt. As he pulled the shirt tails out of his pants, he suddenly remembered they had unfinished business. He looked up to see Jean in a new, rather revealing, nightdress. His eyes went dark as he slowly approached her. "I was beginning to think you had forgotten."

He replied, "I actually had. But…I remember now." Just before their kiss met, they heard a crash. It was the sound of broken glass. Broken glass from a door, perhaps. Lucien was sure whatever it was, it was not good. He looked at Jean and could tell she knew as well. "Jean, go into the bathroom and don't come out until I tell you." She opened her mouth to argue against and he continued, rather stern. "I mean it. There's no time to argue. I'll get my gun. You go now. Please." She begrudgingly went. He watched her close the door and went to get his gun.

"That's as far as you go, Doctor." He stopped in his tracks.

"Cooper Lewis," Lucien said as his hands went up and he turned around.

"I'm honored you remember me. I had heard your memory wasn't the greatest."

"Unfortunately, I remember you all too well."

Jean could hear everything from the bathroom and it took everything she had to stay there. She had to wait for the right time.

"Good, then let's pick up where I left off. You killed my brother and you will die for it," he said as he walked toward Lucien.

"Your brother killed himself! I was helping him up the bridge."

"Lies! Besides, you're the reason he was on that bridge in the first place!" He yelled at Lucien as he pistol-whipped him across the face.

Jean heard the commotion and couldn't contain herself any longer. She came out of the bathroom as Cooper and Lucien were fighting. Lucien was able to land several punches but Cooper was able to get ahold of the gun he had dropped in the scuffle. He was now standing over Lucien when he noticed Jean standing there. "Ah, Mrs. Blake I presume. I told you I would make you a widow. Now you can watch."

Jean yelled, "Noooooo!"

He aimed at Lucien and two shots were fired.

Cooper fell to the ground beside Lucien. Lucien opened his eyes to see Cooper lying there, eyes open. Dead. He looked up to see Charlie in the doorway to the studio, arm still stretched out, gun in hand.

Jean fell to her knees, thanking God for Charlie.

Charlie gave them both a half smile. "There's another guy sleeping in the parlor. He'll wake up with a decent headache." Jean and Lucien looked at each other, needing a minute to collect themselves, knowing this was now over.

Lucien's voice broke when he spoke. "Thank…" He cleared his throat. "Thank you, Charlie. Again."

"Don't mention it, Doc. I'll go call it in. You okay?"

Lucien looked to Jean again. "Never better." Charlie nodded and left the room.

Jean smiled happy tears as she regained her footing and made it over to Lucien. Lucien took his shirt off and wrapped it around Jean, putting her arms through the sleeves. At her questioning look, he explained, "As much as I love your new nightdress, I think it's a bit more revealing than you would want Charlie to see. Don't you think?" It dawned on her what he was getting at and quickly buttoned the shirt. Her hands then went to his face, inspecting the damage. "It looks worse than it really is."

"Somehow, I doubt that. What am I going to do with you?" The tears were back again. Lucien was sitting on his legs, knees bent, hands firmly on his thighs and took a deep breath.

Between sobs he told her, "It's over, Jean. No…" He looked in her eyes. "No more looking over our shoulders. It's finally over." She nodded and held him tight. He wrapped his arms around her.

Charlie appeared again, opting to give them another minute. He interrupted them when the ambulance got there. With instructions from Lucien, they cleaned and dressed his wounds.

Matthew and Alice showed up just as they were removing Cooper's body. Matthew was the first to speak, looking toward Lucien and pointing at the body. "Is that really him?"

"It is, Matthew. It's over." There were hugs all around. Relief that Lucien was going to be okay. Relief that it was over. Relief for the future.


	7. Chapter 7

The old Lucien was indeed back but he was changed, for the better. He didn't feel the need to get involved in a new case. He told Jean he didn't want to continue with the private detective work. He resumed his practice and that seemed to be enough for him right now. To say Jean was pleased would be an understatement. For selfish reasons, of course. She loved having him near and he wasn't ready to let her out of his site. She knew they would have to at some point. Her life as a councilwoman was bound to get more taxing on her time since she had neglected it for some time. She anticipated he would be back as Police Surgeon rather soon, if Matthew has his way. He didn't mind working with Alice but she knew her current position was holding them back from really dating. He confided with Jean about Alice's reservations about how their relationship would look since he was essentially her boss. Making Lucien Police Surgeon again would alleviate that stress on their relationship. He would just need to convince Lucien. Something that she will leave entirely up to Matthew. Until then, she will take advantage of the time they do have together.

She lay on her side, elbow bent, head resting on her hand. She wore a content and satisfied look, and nothing else. She always loved this view of her husband. Usually, this was when he was most at peace. Satiated and lying next to his beloved. No worry on his face. He was still nursing the wounds left from Cooper Lewis. They would soon disappear though. She was thankful to have all that past them. The sheet was bunched at his waist. She was stroking his bare chest, playing with the fine colored hair there. She then raised her hand and gently traced her thumb over his lower lip, trying to keep from touching the cut. She remembered him wincing a few times during their lovemaking but he told her it was a good kind of hurt and continued kissing her. She sensed he was waking. He pursed his lips, kissing her thumb. The corners of his mouth went up, eyes still closed. She leaned forward and nuzzled his cheek with her nose. "Mmm, when is the first patient arriving?"

Looking at the clock, she answered him. "In about two hours."

He opened one eye, looking at her mischievously. "That should be enough time." His quick action of flipping them, so she was on her back and he was on top of her, had her giggling. Grinning ear to ear, he gently pushed a stray curl away from her face. "That giggle of yours, love, is infectious. I will never tire of it."

She put her hand on his cheek. "I love you so much, Lucien." They shared a deep passionate kiss that set the tempo for their next round of lovemaking.

Jean made breakfast while Lucien took his shower and got ready for the day. She wasn't sure where Amy was. Matthew joined her at the table though, eyeing her suspiciously. "So, you think it's about time I approach Lucien about resuming his role as Police Surgeon?"

Jean put her hand up. "Matthew, that is between you two."

"I know. I won't pull you in. I'm just asking your opinion of his mental state. He okay?"

She smiled. "He's good, Matthew. I think it might actually be good for him, but you didn't hear that from me. Incidentally, what does Alice think about all of this?"

Matthew tried to hide his smile. "She's good with it. She's been pressing me to ask Lucien."

"Ask Lucien what?"

Matthew stammered. "Lucien! Um, well. You, uh…"

"Oh, good grief, Matthew. Lucien, Matthew wants to know if you will come back as Police Surgeon." So much for not getting involved.

Stunned, Matthew stared at Jean. "I was getting to it!" They smiled at each other.

Lucien looked between the two of them. He really hadn't given it any thought. Mouth agape, he sat down at the table. "What about Alice?"

"She really doesn't care for the position."

They could see the wheels turning in his head and a bit of apprehension. Matthew tried to ease the pressure. "You don't have to give me an answer now. Just think about it, okay?" He got up and took his plate to the sink. "No pressure." He patted Lucien on the shoulder and left for the day. Lucien remained quiet, lost in his thoughts.

Jean sat next to him, taking his hand in hers. This snapped him out of his reverie. He gave her a slight smile. "What do you think?"

She sighed. "Lucien, it needs to be your decision."

"I know, but…"

There was no way around it. She needed to help him with this. "What are your thoughts? Let's talk it through."

Softly, he responded. "I like what we have now."

She gave him an affectionate smile. "I know. I do too. But you do realize that I'll be working again soon too? It's not going to stay exactly like this."

"I guess you're right."

She noticed there was still something else. "What else is there?"

He couldn't look her in the eye and it started her wondering what on earth it could be. "What if…what if I do something stupid again? I'm safe here. Not just from others, but from myself."

Her heart clenched. She rubbed his arm. "Oh, Lucien." She waited for him to meet her eyes. "Lucien, that's a valid fear, but you have so many people that will look out for you. You just have to listen to them." He nodded and she continued. "I wouldn't say you were stupid either. You're inquisitive by nature. You use it for good. That's how you've helped so many people and solved so many cases. I would love for you to take less chances. But, I accept you for who you are. I love you."

He reached for her and hugged her tight. "What would I have done without you? I love you too, Jean. So much." They stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other. He pulled back, raised a hand to her cheek, and kissed her softly on the lips. "Thank You."

"Of course. So?"

"Police Surgeon it is." She smiled knowingly and he added, "Not until you go back to work though. I want to soak in as much extra Jean time as I can." He finished with a wink.

-Finis-


End file.
